Episode 199 contains the Digital Marketing News and Updates from the week of Feb 12 -16, 2024.

1. Google Updates Image Removal Process from Search Index - Google has  updated their guidelines regarding the removal of images from their search index. As of February 16, 2024, the updated guidance includes new details for both emergency and non-emergency situations, ensuring that you can swiftly address image removal needs. Properly managing these images can protect your brand's reputation and ensure that only relevant and positive images are associated with your business in search results.

The guidance highlights various methods to remove images, covering scenarios where immediate action is required and where there is no direct access to the Content Delivery Network (CDN) or Content Management System (CMS) hosting the images. For urgent removals, Google recommends using the Removals Tool, which temporarily removes images from search results. However, it's crucial to block or remove these images from your site to prevent them from reappearing after the removal request expires.

One common issue addressed is the inability to access images hosted on a CDN or through a CMS that doesn't support indexing blocks. In such cases, deleting the images from your site may be necessary. Furthermore, Google has provided more detailed instructions on using robots.txt with wildcards for more effective control over which images are indexed. This update is essential for tailoring your site's visibility and ensuring that unwanted or irrelevant images do not detract from your online presence.

Additionally, the update includes a caution regarding the use of the "noimageindex" robots tag. While this tag can prevent images on a specific page from being indexed, if those images appear on other pages, they might still be indexed. To fully block an image, the "noindex" X-Robots-Tag HTTP response header should be used.

2. Google Updates Canonical Tag Documentation - Canonical tags play a foundational role in SEO by helping prevent duplicate content issues. They signal to search engines which version of a page is preferred when similar content appears under multiple URLs. Proper use of these tags ensures that the right page gets indexed and ranked, leading to improved website visibility and user experience.

The essence of the update, based on Google's adherence to RFC 6596 standards, is the emphasis on explicit use of rel="canonical" annotations. Google specifies that the canonical tag is intended to identify the preferred version of a webpage among duplicates. This clarification does not change how Google processes these annotations but aims to make their intended use clearer.

A noteworthy addition to Google's documentation is the guidance against using rel="canonical" for non-duplicative purposes, such as indicating alternate versions of a page (e.g., in another language or for a different media type). Instead, Google recommends using rel="alternate" for such cases. This adjustment highlights the importance of accurately using canonical and alternate tags to avoid confusion and ensure the correct page version is presented to search engine users.

3. A New Video Series for Learning Google Search - Google has launched a video series titled "How Search Works" on its Search Central YouTube channel, aimed at demystifying the complexities of Google Search. Spearheaded by Google engineer Gary Illyes, this initiative promises to offer a behind-the-scenes look into the operational intricacies of the world's leading search engine. The series is designed to cater to a broad audience, including business owners, marketers, and even the general public, with the ultimate goal of boosting website visibility in Google's search results.

The debut episode lays the groundwork for the series, with subsequent installments set to dive into practical strategies for improving your website's search engine ranking. Illyes highlights the series' technical focus, emphasizing its intent to equip viewers with the knowledge to enhance their site's online presence. Central to the discussion are the fundamental processes of Google Search: crawling, indexing, and serving. These stages represent how Google discovers URLs, understands and stores webpage content, and finally, how it ranks and presents search results.

From the initial episode, Illyes stresses two pivotal insights. First, Google staunchly denies accepting payments for improved crawling frequency or search ranking positions. Illyes firmly states, "If anyone tells you otherwise, they’re wrong," dismissing any misconceptions about pay-for-play in search rankings. Secondly, the quality of a website's content is underscored as the cornerstone for securing a favorable spot in search results. The definition of "quality" content, as per Google's standards, will be explored in future episodes, offering viewers a roadmap to achieve better visibility.

4. Google's Guidance for Understanding Ranking Decline - In the dynamic landscape of search engine optimization (SEO), even the most authoritative websites can experience fluctuations in Google search rankings. This was the case for Wesley Copeland, owner of a gaming news website, who noticed a significant downturn in traffic and reached out to Google’s Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan, for insights. On February 14, 2024, Sullivan responded with a practical blueprint for diagnosing and potentially reversing ranking declines, shedding light on the intricate dance of maintaining visibility in Google's search results.

Sullivan's advice centers on leveraging Google Search Console to dissect and understand the factors contributing to a site's performance dip. He outlines a five-step process aimed at identifying where and why these declines might occur. This method starts with comparing the site's metrics over recent months against a previous period, focusing on the Queries report sorted by click change. This analytical approach helps pinpoint significant decreases in clicks, providing a clearer picture of the site's current standing in search rankings.

"If you’re still ranking in the top results, there’s probably nothing fundamental you have to correct," Sullivan reassures, indicating that fluctuations can often be attributed to Google's algorithmic changes rather than a decline in content quality or SEO efforts. He emphasizes that Google's algorithms are designed to evolve, constantly refining how content is ranked and presented to users based on relevance and utility.

For business owners and SEO professionals, this conversation underscores the importance of regular performance reviews using tools like Google Search Console. It's crucial to recognize that high search rankings are not static achievements but ongoing efforts that align with Google's ever-changing criteria. Sullivan's parting message offers both assurance and a dose of reality, suggesting that while fundamental issues may not be present, the variability in how content is displayed can impact site visibility over time.

The dialogue between Copeland and Sullivan serves as a valuable reminder of the SEO realm's volatile nature. It highlights the necessity for businesses to stay vigilant, adaptable, and informed about the latest search engine practices and algorithms. Understanding and adapting to these changes can help businesses maintain or improve their online presence, ensuring that their content continues to reach its intended audience effectively.

5. Managing 404 Errors (Webpage Not Found) - 404 error—a signal that a webpage is not found—is not uncommon for website owners. However, understanding how to effectively manage these errors is crucial for maintaining a smooth user experience and optimizing your site's SEO. Google's John Mueller recently shed light on this topic, offering valuable guidance for website owners on handling 404 errors and the role of the "validate a fix" function in Google Search Console (GSC).

A 404 status code occurs when a server cannot find the requested webpage. It's a common misconception that all 404 errors must be fixed. However, Mueller clarifies that not all 404s need correction, especially if the page is intentionally removed or never meant to exist. The "validate a fix" feature in GSC is particularly useful when you've accidentally removed a page and wish to inform Google once it's reinstated. This tool is more about tracking corrections for the site owner's benefit than about resolving issues for Google.

The discussion also touches on the difference between 404 and 410 status codes. While both indicate a page is not found, a 410 status is used when the absence is permanent. Google treats these responses similarly, though a 410 may prompt a slightly quicker removal from Google's index.

External links leading to 404 errors pose another dilemma. Mueller suggests that correcting external links pointing to non-existent pages on your site may not always be worth the effort, especially if it doesn't significantly impact traffic. Instead, focus should be on whether these broken links are causing visitors to get lost, indicating a valuable opportunity to fix them, primarily through 301 redirects to the correct URL.

For business owners, the key takeaway is to prioritize 404 errors that affect user experience and your site's performance. Not all 404 errors are detrimental, but understanding when and how to address them can significantly enhance your site's usability and SEO. Regular monitoring through tools like Google Search Console can help identify critical errors and track fixes, ensuring your site remains navigable and optimally indexed by search engines.

6. Understanding Recovery Time From Google's Helpful Content Update - In September 2023, Google released a significant update to its helpful content system, refining its classifier to better distinguish between helpful and unhelpful content on websites. This update has sparked widespread discussion among website owners and SEO professionals, particularly concerning the recovery process for sites adversely affected. Danny Sullivan, Google's Search Liaison, recently reiterated key points about this process, emphasizing the continuous nature of the classifier and the importance of long-term commitment to producing helpful content.

Google's stance is clear: the helpful content classifier is always active, evaluating both new and existing sites to ensure that content remains helpful over time. Contrary to some misconceptions, recovery from a hit by this update does not have a set timeframe. Sullivan clarified that he never specified recovery could occur within two weeks of making changes, stressing that such a precise timeline would be inconsistent with Google's guidelines. The process is designed to recognize sustained improvements in content quality over months, not days.

The automated classifier, driven by machine learning, operates globally across all languages. It is just one of many signals Google uses to rank content, meaning sites identified with unhelpful content could still rank well for certain queries if other signals support the content's relevance and utility. This nuanced approach allows for a degree of flexibility in how content is evaluated and ranked.

For businesses, the message is clear: a short-term fix is not enough to reverse the impact of the helpful content update. Google requires demonstrable, sustained efforts to prioritize user-focused content. This commitment to quality should be seen as an ongoing process rather than a one-off task to recover from a penalty.

Recovery is possible at any time as the classifier continually reassesses sites. Improvements made with the intention of adhering to Google's guidelines for helpful content can lead to better performance independently of any updates to the classifier itself. This continuous evaluation underscores the importance of maintaining high-quality, user-centric content as a core component of your SEO strategy.

 
7. Understanding Traffic Fluctuations and Content Quality - Understanding the nuances of traffic fluctuations and their impact on website rankings is crucial for business owners. Danny Sullivan, Google's Search Liaison, sheds light on a common misconception regarding the decline in website traffic, emphasizing that not all decreases are due to content issues. His insights offer a fresh perspective on how businesses should interpret changes in their search engine performance.

Sullivan points out that in many cases, websites experiencing a downturn in traffic are not necessarily suffering from unhelpful content. Instead, these sites may find themselves outperformed by competitors who have seen a recent uplift in their rankings. This competitive shift can result in a relative decrease in visibility for your site, even though your content remains top-notch and your site continues to rank well for key queries.

He highlights, "There's no fundamental content issues. It's more that other things might have moved up even slightly," suggesting that fluctuations in search rankings can often be attributed to the evolving landscape of online content and SEO strategies, rather than a direct penalization by Google's helpful content update.

For businesses, this revelation underscores the importance of maintaining a holistic view of SEO and website performance. While it's vital to ensure your content is helpful, relevant, and user-centric, it's equally important to recognize that SEO is a competitive arena. Changes in rankings may not always signal a problem with your content but could instead reflect the dynamic nature of search algorithms and the competitive push from other sites.

However, for those who have experienced significant drops in rankings following the rollout of Google's helpful content update in September, it's reasonable to consider the update as a potential factor. In such cases, a thorough review of your content strategy and alignment with Google's guidelines is advisable.

8. Google's Stance on EEAT - The concept of E-E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness, with an added emphasis on Experience) has been a topic of much discussion among digital marketing professionals. However, Google's Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan, recently clarified a critical aspect of this concept, shedding light on how expertise factors into Google's ranking algorithm.

According to Sullivan, contrary to some beliefs, EEAT itself is not a direct ranking factor nor does it influence other ranking factors in a measurable way. This clarification came in response to inquiries about whether employing recognized experts to create content could inherently boost a website's ranking. Sullivan's answer was straightforward: "It's not a ranking factor. It's not a thing that's going to factor into other factors."

This statement emphasizes that the mere presence of content authored by an expert does not automatically enhance a site's ranking. Sullivan points out two main reasons for this. First, the declaration of expertise is subjective; anyone can claim to be an expert. Second, Google's algorithms do not assess the author's credentials to determine content quality or ranking.

The real value of involving experts in content creation lies in the quality and user appreciation of the content produced. Content that resonates with and is valued by users because of its clarity, depth, and usefulness aligns with Google's broader goal of rewarding "people-first satisfying content." Thus, the expertise is most beneficial when it contributes to creating high-quality content that meets the needs and preferences of the target audience.

9. Misconceptions of Disavowing Links - The topic of backlinks and their impact on site rankings has always been contentious. A recent discussion sheds light on a prevalent concern among website owners: the significant loss of organic traffic over six months, attributed to a high number of toxic backlinks. This situation led to a debate on whether disavowing these links could restore lost rankings.

John Mueller, a respected voice from Google, provides clarity on this issue, emphasizing a stance Google has maintained for years. According to Mueller, pursuing the disavowal of links based on reports from SEO tools like Semrush or worrying about negative SEO attacks does not equate to a recovery in site rankings. Google has long advised against the indiscriminate use of the disavow tool, warning that it may do more harm than good. This advice stems from Google's capability to automatically discount harmful links, minimizing the need for manual disavowal.

Mueller's insights challenge the notion that backlink toxicity reports should drive SEO strategy. Instead, he suggests that focusing on enhancing site content and user experience deserves more attention. He humorously remarks on the futility of competitors spending resources on negative SEO, highlighting the opportunity cost of not investing in their site's improvement.

This guidance from Google underlines a crucial lesson for business owners: the path to recovering and improving your site's search performance is not through combating backlinks with disavowal. Google's algorithms are sophisticated enough to recognize and neutralize the impact of undesirable links. The real investment should be in creating compelling, valuable content and offering an exceptional user experience, which are the cornerstone of sustainable SEO success.

In summary, while the discovery of toxic backlinks can be alarming, Google's advice is to focus on what truly matters - building a website that stands out through its content quality and user engagement. Let Google handle the complexities of filtering out the noise from harmful links, freeing you to concentrate on enhancing your site's intrinsic value.

10. Google Ads Tightens the Reins: A New Stance on Misrepresentation - In a significant update to its Misrepresentation policy, Google Ads will introduce stricter regulations under the "unacceptable business practices" section starting in March. This policy revision specifically targets advertisements that attempt to deceive users by impersonating or falsely implying an affiliation with or endorsement by well-known public figures, brands, or organizations. The aim is to safeguard users from being misled into parting with their money or personal information under false pretenses.

For advertisers operating outside of France, the enforcement of these new rules will commence in March. Meanwhile, those advertising within France will see the policy take effect in April. Google's stance on this matter is unequivocal: violations of this policy will lead to immediate suspension of the offending Google Ads accounts without prior notice, and the violators will face a permanent ban from advertising with Google.

Why is this crucial for your business? If your advertising campaigns are in any way in violation of this updated policy, it is imperative to undertake a thorough review and remove or adjust any non-compliant ads before the enforcement begins. The consequences of non-compliance are severe, not only resulting in the suspension of your account but also in a lasting prohibition on using Google Ads for future marketing efforts.

Google has expressed a serious attitude towards these policy violations, categorizing them as egregious. The company urges advertisers to carefully review the upcoming policy changes to assess the compliance of their ads. The directive is clear: any ads falling within the scope of this policy must be removed before the relevant enforcement date to avoid punitive action.

11. Meta's Ad Outage: Refunds for Overspent Campaigns - Meta recently extended an apology to advertisers following an Ads Delivery outage that caused significant overspending for many campaigns, some by thousands of dollars. The issue has since been resolved, and Meta is now in the process of managing refund requests, expected to take between four to eight weeks to complete.

To bolster the chances of receiving a full refund, advertisers are advised to promptly report the incident to their Meta representatives or support team. Barry Hott, a Growth and Performance Marketing Consultant, has outlined a comprehensive guide for advertisers to follow in order to file a complaint effectively.